How to Deadlift Sticky Questions and Comments

[tank]

that makes sense. i've seen that on here before, too. i just need to get off my ass and measure that stuff tonight to see. thanks.

[BendtheBar]

One thing I will say is that if you make a switch, don't rush into the new style with heavy weight.

[tank]

that's understandable. i tried it for a little while and remembered how uncomfortable the pull from the floor felt even at lighter weights.

[BendtheBar]

I have made the mistake several times of trying to rush into sumos and ended up with knee or hamstring strains.

[Bodybygamma]

Originally Posted by tank

i may have asked this before, or even just read it somewhere, but i can't seem to find it:

which stance is more advantageous for a lifter with a big back?

this is why i ask. i've got somewhat short legs but i have a large back and feel that if i pulled sumo i wouldn't be taking advantage of my back strength.

on the other hand, if leverage is king, then i would in that case benefit more, presumably, by pulling sumo to shorten the ROM.

Try both see what works, maybe make a hybrid stance like coan or this friend of mine:

dan antonucci squat and deadlift footage - YouTube

dan antonucci squat and deadlift footage - YouTube

35seconds in

Ed Coan - Deadlift 901 @ 220 - YouTube

Ed Coan - Deadlift 901 @ 220 - YouTube

However leverage has mechanical advantages, nothing makes up for raw training, experience and already developed muscle fibers. Everything takes time, even if you are better built for sumo, if you never pulled that style or developed it you won't have the:

• Brute strength required to truly max out because your body will see it as foreign, this ties in with the CNS and confidence.
• Conditioned Muscle Tissue
• Technique
  
  I would alternate the focus week to week but prob train both the same day even if its just warm ups under 65% or so each session just to really put them both to set, outweight the pros and cons and evaluate what your weakness' are in each and set assistance movements to correct them down the line.

[tank]

cool, thanks a lot for your thorough response. i definitely feel stronger conventional, but as you said, that's because i'm not versed in sumo stance.

[MikeM]

This was very interesting. I measured myself and figured out, as I expected, I'm short torso, at 46% and long armed, at 43%! I knew my arms were long, but not that long. I also have shrunk since I am now 5' 7" and a 1/2. I used to be just barely shy of 5' 8", like an 1/8th at most.

Anyway, I do conventional and it turns out that's better for me, which is good since sumo would probably aggravate my bad ankle and dodgy knee anyway. Conventional puts no strain on either.

Still, interesting nontheless.

[tank]

i read at elitefts that when deadlifting you want to give the bar some room out in front so that you can lean back when you pull, thus using your body weight as leverage.

is this untrue? is this another technique that is "geared" toward geared lifters but not made clear? this seems contrary to the popular idea that mechanically it's more important to keep the bar close to the body/shins so that the bar travels in a straight line.

[BendtheBar]

Proper setup/leverage will involve a solid hip positioning (not too high, not too low), and then placing the bar "about" under the shoulder blades.

If the bar is forward of the shoulders and proper hip alignment is kept intact, you will lose leverage. Deadlifting in this manner will almost always cause the hips to come up during the lift.

With that said, it's very hard to maintain proper hip alignment with the bar forward of the shoulders. The hips will almost always be up higher than normal when starting the pull.

[tank]

thanks. can't see that pic though.